Appliance for recording and/or transducing electric and/or acoustic oscillations of various frequencies

ABSTRACT

1,021,202. Recording music. I. SPONGA and H. J. EBERSTARK. Aug. 8, 1962 [Aug. 8, 1961], No. 30399/62. Heading G5X. [Also in Divisions A5, G1 and H3] Apparatus for graphical recording and/or analysing of electrical alternating current signals of various frequencies comprises plural electric wave filters tuned to a series of pass frequencies and having inputs arranged for connection to the output of a common amplifier fed with A.C. signals; plural electrical recording heads being coupled through rectifiers each to the output of one of such filters and an electroresponsive recording strip moved adjacently to the recording heads; each of which is actuated by a signal through its associated filter to produce a linear recording mark on the strip parallel to the direction of motion thereof to indicate frequency of the input signal by its lateral position amplitude by its intensity, and duration by its length. In Fig. 1 sounds are received by microphone 10 and are amplified to feed a set of parallel filters 12 having pass frequencies in an ascending series with frequency ratios 1: &lt;SP&gt;12&lt;/SP&gt;# 2  so that for sounds in the aural range the successive pass frequencies are spaced by one semitone pitch. The filter outputs are severally rectified to D.C. energization for a series of electrodes 20 spaced laterally across a uniformly moving recording strip 23 in opposition to a single common lower electrode 21; the strip being of paper impregnated with chemicals producing discoloration on passage of current between the electrodes of intensity dependent on the current amplitude. Alternatively the recording strips may be metallized paper or plastic film marked by burning of the metallization on passage of current between the electrodes. The several frequency components of the received sound are recorded as parallel interrupted lines on the recording strip; frequency or pitch being represented by lateral displacement, amplitude by intensity of marking and duration by length along the direction of motion of the strip, which may be marked with auxiliary lines corresponding to the several recording electrodes and to frequency or pitch (Fig. 2). Harmonic content of a single frequency received sound may be analysed by amplifying he input to the set of filters and removing herefrom the fundamental tone. The auxiliary lines may be more heavily marked on the recording strip where they correspond to the lines of the musical staff (Fig. 4). It is stated that key transposition may be achieved in recording by displacing the auxiliary lines relatively to the recorded traces, and that the auxiliary lines may be disposed to correspond e.g. to the keys of a piano or the unstopped strings of a guitar. A transparent template inscribed with the auxiliary lines appropriate to any stringed instrument may overly the recording strip. In a modification (Fig. 9) a pair of electrodes 100 may be applied e.g. to the brain of a subject and the resultant infrasonic potentials amplified to feed a frequency changer 101 (Fig. 10) whose output is applied to a range of filters 112 and rectifiers 113 feeding a recorder 18 as shown in Fig. 1. The frequency changer comprises a discriminator 103 producing a unidirectional voltage representing an input frequency f 1 , a proportion of which is derived from a variable potentiometer 104 to modulate at 105 a frequencyf 2  from a source 106 to yield a frequency f 3 , which is heterodyned by f 2  in converter 107 to give a frequency f 4  = f 3  - f 2  related&#39; to f 1  by a constant ratio set by potentiometer 104. The output at 109 is derived from the output of converter 107 through variable-gain amplifier 108 controlled by rectification of the input voltage at 110, so that the output amplitude varies in correspondence with the input amplitude. In addition to brain potentials, muscular and cardiac potentials and the rate of respiration of a subject may be similarly recorded. Alternatively the recorded outputs of the several filters may be photo-electrically scanned to operate respective relays keying a range of corresponding audio oscillators whose frequencies are spaced in the ratio 1:&lt;SP&gt;12&lt;/SP&gt;# 2  feeding an amplifier and loud-speaker. Muscular, cardiac, and respiratory potentials may similarly be rendered audible. Structurally, the recording apparatus comprise (Fig. 11) a paper strip 23 winding from a delivery roll 40 over a conditioning roll 41 impregnating it with a current-sensitive reagent from a bath 43, and over a deflecting electrode roll 44, and guide table 45 to drive roll 46 rotated by motor and gear-box 47, speed adjustable by knob 50. Parallel electrode laminae 20 embedded in insulation 52 press the impregnated paper against electrode roll 44 and the electrode assembly to laterally traversable by leadscrew 53 and knob 44 e.g. for key transposition. Additional electrodes 55, 56 are respectively energized from a pulse generator to produce e.g. second time markings 57, and from a manually operated lever 59 applying a variable current, so that beat markings of variable stress may be applied at will. The electrode connections may be printed on an insulating sheet 60 and the panel 61 may carry controls 50, 54, 59; on/off switch 62, control 63 for the input amplifier (Fig. 9), control 64 for frequency multiplication factor (potentiometer 104 in Fig. 10) and selector switch 65 enabling the apparatus to operate to record physiological currents with frequency transposition, to record acoustical sounds without transposition, or to analyse harmonics of acoustical sounds.

Oct. 4, 1966 SPONGA 3,277,245

APPLIANCE FOR RECORDING AND/OR TRANSDUCING ELECTRIC AND/OR ACOUSTICOSCILLATIONS OF VARIOUS FREQUENCIES Filed Aug. '7, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1y a f M ZMZW W5 2 Oct. 4, 1966 SPONGA 3,277,245

APPLIANCE FOR RECORDING AND/OR TRANSDUCING ELECTRIC AND/OR ACOUSTICOSCILLATIONS OF VARIOUS FREQUENCIES Filed Aug. '2, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2Fig. 5 Fig.7

Oct. 4, 1966 I. SPONGA 3,277,245

APPLIANCE FOR RECORDING AND/OR TRANSDUCING ELECTRIC AND/OR ACOUSTICOSCILLATIONS OF VARIOUS FREQUENCIES Filed Aug. '7, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 5Fig. 70

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l H i 103 106 2}; 109 1 i 4 w i 110 I L. i

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Oct. 4, 1966 l. SPONGA APPLIANCE FOR RECORDING AND/OR TRANSDUCINGELECTRIC AND/OR ACOUSTIC OSGILLATIONS OF VARIOUS FREQUENCIES Filed Aug.'7, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I/? v6??? for i777 F6 Spa 7291 5y UnitedStates Patent 3,277,245 APPLIANCE FOR RECORDING AND/0R TRANS- DUCINGELECTRIC AND/ OR ACOUSTIC OSCIL- LATIONS OF VARIOUS FREQUENCIES ImreSponga, Gartnerstr. 14, Zurich, Switzerland Filed Aug. 7, 1962, Ser. No.215,452 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Aug. 8, 1961, 9,327/61 7 Claims. (Cl. 179100.2)

This invention relates to a system of transcribing music moreparticularly the present invention relates to an appliance for recordingand/or transducing electric oscillations or acoustic oscillationsconverted into electric oscillations of various frequencies,

The leading feature of the invention is that a set of electric wavefilters are tuned to a series of passing frequencies, which follow eachother in the ratio of l: /2 the inputs of all filters being connected toa common input amplifier and the output of each filter to its owntransducer which is activated by the specific electric oscillationpassing through the associated filter thus initiating a certain processto be described hereunder.

Other features of the invention will follow from the claims, thespecification and the accompanying drawings. In, the following pages, byway of example only, several embodiments of the invention are describedin greater detail with reference to the drawing.

FIG. 1 is a purely diagrammatic representation of the first embodimentof the invention designed for the automatic recording of the spectrum ofelectric oscillations varying in time; i

FIG. 2 shows a sample of the associated recording strip with somerecordings;

FIG. 3 shows another recording strip with a different line pattern andsome recordings of oscillations within the acoustic range;

FIG. 4 shows a similar recording strip with an extended frequency range;

FIG. 5 represents a scale of semitones in conventional notation;

FIG. 6 shows the same scale of semitones as transcribed by the appliancein FIG. 1 on two recording strips with different line patterns;

FIG. 7 shows a sequence of tones in conventional notation;

FIG. 8 shows the same sequence of tones as transcribed by the appliancein FIG. 1 on two recording strips with different line patterns;

FIG. 9 shows a modification of the appliance in FIG. 1, which isdesigned to record the frequency spectra of brain currents;

FIG. 10 shows a detail of the appliance in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view of a concrete embodiment of theappliance in FIG.'9;

FIG. 12 is a diagram of an appliance designed to transduce electricoscillations, e.g. those produced by brain currents, into oscillationsof different but proportional frequencies, e.g. audio-frequencies.

In the appliance shown in FIG. 1, a microphone 10 is connected to aninput amplifier 11, which in turn is connected to a set of electric wavefilters 12, as shown in the diagram. The inputs of the filters 12 areconnected to the output of the amplifier 11. Each of the filters 12 hasa different passing frequency. Taken together the passing frequenciesform an ascending series following with the ratio of h /2T If thepassing frequencies are set within the acoustic range of man, the pitchof each of the audio-frequencies passing through the filters 12 differsby a semitone from the pitch of the preceding and the followingfrequency. The output of each filter 12 is con- 3,277,245 Patented Oct.4, 1966 ice nected to an associated rectifier circuit 13, and each ofthese circuits may be provided with an additional amplifier ifnecessary. Elements 11 to 13 form a structural unit 14, equipped withone pair of input terminals 1 5 connected to the microphone 10 andseveral pairs of output terminals 16 in connection with the rectifiercircuits 13.

The output terminals 16 are connected to a recording unit 18 withseveral recorders 19, which act as transducers and operate inconjunction with a common recording strip 23. By means of mechanicaldevices which are not shown in the diagram, the recording strip 23 canbe moved forward at uniform speed in the direction indicated by thearrow V. Each of the recorders 19 has an upper electrode 20, while thelower electrode 21 is common to all recorders. These electrodes 20 and21 are in connection with the terminals 16. The recording strip 23passes between the electrodes 20 and 21 and is in contact with thoseparts of the upper electrodes that serve as recorder heads. The contactsurface between the recorder heads and the recording strip is relativelysmall. All the recorder heads are arranged in parallel and spaced atequal distances in a straight line at right angles to the longitudinaland feed direction of the strip 2 3. A concrete embodiment of therecording unit will be described later with reference to FIG. 1'1.

The recording strip 23 may for instance consist of paper prepared withchemicals which change colour when subjected to the action of electriccurrent, so that discolorations are produced wherever current passesbetween an electrode 20 and the lower electrode 21, the intensity ofelectric current or the voltage applied being reflected by theintensityof the discoloration. In a modified form the the recordingmedium could be metal-coated paper or plastic film, with the thin metalcoating being burned away where electric current passes through.

The appliance described works as follows: When the microphone 10 isexposed to sound waves of different frequencies, it produces electricoscillations, which are amplified by the input amplifier 11 and then fedto the filters 12. In accordance with its specific frequency eachoscillation is passed by the appropriate filter 12 and then transmittedto the associated rectifier circuit 13, where a direct current voltageis produced, the magnitude of which is proportional to the intensity ofthe oscillation passing through its filter 12. The voltage is appliedbetween the appropriate electrode or electrodes 20* and thecounterelectrode 21 separated by the running recording strip 23, whichis marked by the passage of the electric current. Since the strip 23moves at uniform speed, e.-g. 1 cm. per second, in the directionindicated by the arrow V, the

. oscillation passed by the filter is recorded as a line. The

position of this line indicates the frequency or pitch of theoscillation recorded, its length the duration of the tone, and theintensity of its colour the volume of the tone.

It is advisable to use a horizontally lined recording strip 23, as shownin FIG. 2, with equidistant auxiliary lines 24, each of whichcorresponds to one of the recorder heads of the electrodes 20. Theauxiliary lines 24 can also be marked with the correspondingfrequencies, if so required. FIG. 2 also shows some recordings 25.

It should be noted that in the procedure outlined above generally onlythe fundamental oscillations of the tones are recorded, while theirovertones (upper partials) are too low in amplitude to produce aneffect. However, the appliance described can also be used to analyse thefrequencies of a single tone or noise, if so desired, by amplifying theovertones .to the required sound level and, if necessary, filtering outthe fundamental oscillation of the tone to be analyzed.

Ifas it was assumed so far-the oscillations recorded are within theacoustic range of man and thus correspond to musical tones, it will bepreferable in some cases to make use of the arrangement shown in FIG. 3,where those auxiliary lines which correspond to the conventional staves124 are set off, for instance by making them thicker than the otherauxiliaries 224. The recordings 125 as set within the auxiliary lines124 (stave lines) and 224 (intermediate lines) will then produce anotation not unlike the conventional notation, which can be read andinterpreted by musicians as easily as the conventional notation, if notmore so. The intermediate lines 224 clearly indicate the pitch of therecordings or notes situated between the stave lines 124. Since eachtone has its assigned location on one of the stave lines 124 orintermediate lines 224, the new notation is quite unambiguous, and nokey signatures are necessary to raise or lower the recorded pitch. Thelenth of each tone is clearly shown by the length of its recording 125.No auxiliary symbols are needed to indicate rests, which are evidentfrom the recording. To transpose a composition from one key (say Dmajor) to another key, all that has to 'be done is to raise or lower theauxiliary lines 124 and 224 in relation to the recordings 125, whichneed not be altered in any Way. This is a considerable simplificationand improvement over the conventional notation.

Since the filters 12 and the recorders 19, which are coupled with them,are quite independent of each other, the appliance can also be used torecord polyphonic music with any amount of voices. For this purpose thestrip should be lined as shown in FIG. 4 and the number of filters 12and recorders 19 increased accordingly. The line pattern in FIG. 4clearly brings out the relationship between bass clef and treble clef.It is no longer a problem to bridge the gap when changing over from onesystem to the other, since the classical staves represented by the stavelines 124, the intermediate lines 224 and the supplementary lines 324and 424 all form part of one integrated system, so that clefs couldactually be dispensed with; the only reason they are retained is to givemusicians their accustomed bearing.

Furthermore the appliance opens up completely new perspectives in thetranscription of music, by making it possible to record tones in quitedifferent notation systems, e.g. systems that are specially adapted tospecific musical instruments. Instead of setting oil? the linescorresponding to the staves of the conventional five-stave notation,other lines can be brought out, which are specially suited to theinstrument in question. Illustrations are given in FIGS. 5 to 8.

FIG. 5 represents the scale of semitones within one octave astranscribed in conventional notation; FIG. 6 shows the same scale in tworecordings produced by the appliance in FIG. 1. The line pattern in theleft half of FIG. 6 is the same as the one in FIG. 3 or 4, with thelines corresponding to the conventional staves 124 printed thicker thanthe others. In the right half of FIG. 6 the same recordings 325 are setin a different pattern of lines 524, 624 and 724, which corresponds tothe arrangement of the keys of a piano covering an octave. To guide theeye, lines 524 corresponding to notes C are printed thicker than theothers, and lines 724, representing notes G and F, are dotted. Thisnotation is therefore particularly suited to the requirements ofpianists, singers and beginners, since bearings are the same for everyoctave.

With the appliance shown in FIG. 1, the tone sequence as transcribed inconventional notation in FIG. 7 can be recorded as illustrated in FIG.8. In the left half of FIG. 8 the recordings 425 are set in a system oflines 124, 324 and 424, with the conventional stave lines 124 clearlyset off from the rest. In contrast, the right half of FIG. 8

villustrates a line pattern specially adapted to a six-chord guitar. Alllines 824 corresponding to the pitches of the untouched chords arethicker than the other lines 924. This notation is so simple that even abeginner will have no trouble in finding the recorded notes on hisinstrument.

Since the recordings produced by the appliance are independent of theline pattern used on the recording strip it is possible to transcribeany recording at will into any line pattern, so that the notation whichis best suited to any particular instrument can easily be obtained.Alternatively, the tones can also be recorded on a blank strip, on whicha transparent film with the pattern required can be superimposed forreading or playing the recorded tones.

The appliance which is the subject of the present invention is notnecessarily confined to recording oscillations within theaudio-frequency range, since the filters 12 and the amplifier 11 canalso be designed for electric oscillations in the ultrasonic orinfrasonic range, the ratio of the passing frequencies being the same,i.e. 1:12 /Z However, to meet the difiiculty of building filterssufficiently selective for the infrasonic range, another embodiment isproposed in FIGS. 9 and 10.

The appliance shown in FIG. 9 differs from the appliance in FIG. 1mainly in having a pair of electrodes instead of the microphone 10 and adifferently designed unit 114 instead of the unit 14, which has beendescribed above. By means of the connecting terminals 115 the twoelectrodes 100 are joined to the input of an amplifier 111, which isspecially designed for the transmission of electric oscillations in theinfrasonic range, e.g. from 1 to 32 cycles. However, the amplifiershould preferably be capable of transmit-ting oscillations in theaudiofrequency range (e.g. up to 20 kilocycles) as well. The output ofthe amplifier 111 is connected to a frequency changer 101, which will bedescribed in detail with reference to FIG. 10. The output of thefrequency changer 101 is connected to the inputs of a series of filters112 of the same design as the filters 12 in FIG. 1, the passingfrequencies of which are in the audio-frequency range and follow eachother in the ratio of t x/2: The output of each filter 112 is connectedto its own rectifier circuit 113, and the outputs of all these rectifiercircuits 113 are joined by means of terminals 116 to a recording unit 18like the one shown in FIG. 1.

The frequency changer 101 may be designed as shown in FIG. 10. A pair ofinput terminals 102 is connected to a frequency discriminator 103, whichproduces a DC.

voltage proportional to the frequency f of the incoming of the frequencymodulator 105 has the actual frequency f and is fed to a converter 107.The degree of frequency modulation of said output voltage of themodulator 105 can be varied by adjusting the controls of the voltagedivider 104. In the converter 107 a constant high-frequency-voltage offrequency f supplied by-the oscillator 106 is heterodyned with thefrequency modulated voltage of frequency i thus producing a voltage offrequency f.,, which is equivalent to the difference between 3 and f andlies within the acoustic range. Frequency 1, is higher than frequency fby a constant factor, the quantity of which can be regulated by means ofthe voltage divider 104. Through a variable-gain amplifier 108 thevoltage of frequencyfi, is transferred to the pair of output terminals109 of the unit 101. Through the input terminals 102 the AC. voltage ofinfrasonic frequency is also fed into a rectifier circuit 110 producinga DC. voltage which isproportional to the amplitude of the AC. voltageand automatically controls the volume of amplification in the amplifier108. As a result, any changes in the amplitude of the AC. voltage at theinput terminals 102 are exactly reproduced in the A.C. voltage at theoutput terminals 109, so that the dynamic response is maintained.

The appliance shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 may, for instance, work in thefollowing way:

The electrodes 100 are fixed to the subjects head in the usual way, inorder to scan his brain currents. In some cases it may be preferable touse more than one pair of electrodes and connect them to the terminals115. Brain currents are alternating currents with a low frequency f;ranging between 10 and 30 cycles. The voltage scanned by the electrodes100 is amplified in the amplifier 111 and fed'into the unit 101, whereit is processed as described above. As has already been mentioned withreference to FIG. 10 the A.C. voltage is generated at the output of theunit 101 is completely analogous to the input voltage, but has afrequency f; which is, for instance, a hundred times higher, that is1000 to 3000 cycles in the case considered here. The multiplicationfactor is determined by adjusting the voltage divider 104. The electricoscillations are then separated according to their frequencies by thefilters 112'and rectified by the circuits 113; the DC. voltages obtainedare then conducted to the recorder heads in the recording unit 18. Bymeans of the appliance described brain currents can thus be recorded interms of their frequency and duration, in more or less the same manneras has already been described for the recording of music. The result isa frequency spectrum of the alternating currents of the brain.

Such a recording will give physicians and psychologists a profoundinsight into a persons character, his state of mind, his emotions, hispersonal rhythm, etc. Analyses of this kind may also provide valuableinformation with respect to the problem which persons are suited to eachother.

While recording the alternating currents of the brain, one may at thesame time record the electric potentials produced by muscular tension ofselected muscles, cardiac currents and/or the rate of respiration,preferably on the same recording medium and with or without the aid ofalready existing devices. In this way one can obtain a complete personalscore.

FIG. 11 shows a structural embodiment of the appliance described. Therecording strip 23 winds off a delivery roll 40 and then runs between aconditioning roller 41 and an auxiliary roller 42. The conditioningroller 41 is encased in a container 43, which holds a reagent thatchanges colour when subjected to the action of electric current.Subsequently the recording strip 23 runs over a deflecting roller '44and a guiding table 45 to a drive roller 46, which is driven by thepower provided by a motor and gear box 47, e.g. by way of a belt drive48. The drive roller 46 is associated with an auxiliary roller 49, andthe recording strip 23 passes between these two rollers 46 and 49. Theadvance rate of the recording strip can be adjusted within certainlimits by means of a knob 50. The delivery roll 40 and the container 43with its rollers 41 and 42 are situated underneath the guiding table 45and so are the structural unit 114 (shown in detail in FIG. 9) and anelectric power supply unit 51.

The recorder electrodes 20 are metal laminae embedded between layers ofinsulating material 52 thus forming a laminated unit which canbe movedsideways (i.e. at right angles to the recording strip 23) by means of alead screw 53 and a knob 54 to position the recording heads in relationto the printed lines on the recording strip 23 and to transpose musicalrecordings into any key or tonality desired. The lower electrode 21 is aroller which presses the recording strip against the recorder electrodes20 by means of a spring (not shown).

In addition to the electrodes that record the oscillation spectrum, thelaminated unit described in the preceding paragraph contains two moresuch laminar electrodes 55 and 56, which also operate in conjunctionwith the common roller electrode 21. Electrode 55 serves for anautomatic time marking 57 by means of pulses, which may for instancefollow at the rate of one per second. The other electrode 56 makes itpossible to record beat markings 58 by tapping a lever 59 by hand. Thesystem is so designed that the voltage applied to the electrode 56 withrelation to the lower electrode 21 depends on the pressure exerted onthe lever 59, which makes it possible to stress some of the beatmarkings more than the others.

The electric connections of the electrode plates 20, 55 and 56 arepreferably designed as a printed circuit on a sheet of insulatingmaterial 60, which may be connected with the laminated unit by means ofscrews not shown on the drawing.

The knobs 50 and 54, which have already been mentioned, as well as thelever 59 are arranged on a front panel 61, which also includes a switch62 to turn the apparatus on or off, a knob 63 to control the volume ofamplification in the amplifier 111 (of. FIG. 9) and a knob 64 to controlthe multiplication factor by adjusting the voltage divider 104 (FIG.10). Finally there is a multistage selector switch 65 to adapt theappliance for different purposes. In one position of the switch 65 theappliance works as described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, i.e. itcan be used to record the frequency spectrum of brain currents. In asecond position of the switch 65 the appliance works as described inconnection with FIG. 1: the frequency changer 101 is by-passed, and theoutput of the amplifier 111 (FIG. 9) is directly connected to the inputsof the filters 112. This is the position for recording music. In a thirdposition of the switch 65 the gain of amplifier 111 is increased to suchan extent that not only the fundamental oscillation of a tone but alsoits overtones (upper partials) can be recorded, thus making it possibleto analyse the timbre of individual tones.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 12 is also provided with apair of electrodes 100, which is connected to a structural unit 14, asdescribed under FIG. 1, with the difference that the filters will passfresuencies between 1 and 32 cycles. The recording unit 18 is replacedby another unit 82, which contains as many relays 83 as there arefilters 12 in the structural unit 14. Each of the exciting circuits ofthe relays 83 is connected to one of the pairs of terminals 16 of unit14. The relays 83 act as transducers which initiate predeterminedprocesses, i.e. starting or stopping electric sound frequencyoscillators 84, each of which is associated to one of the relays 83 andthus to one of the filters 12. The frequencies of the sound waves whichcan be produced by the oscillators 84 are chosen in proportionalrelationship to the passing frequencies of the filters 12; consequentlythe frequencies of the sound frequency oscillators 84 also form a serieswith a progressive ratio of l: /2. Thus each of the frequencies of theoscillators 84 differs from the frequency of the preceding oscillator bya semitone pitch. The outputs of all oscillators 84 are connected to acommon pair of terminals 85, which in turn is connected to a loudspeaker87 by way of an amplifier 86. Alternatively a pair of earphones can beconnected to the terminals instead of the amplifier and loudspeaker.

The appliance shown in FIG. 12 works as follows: The alternatingcurrents of the brain are scanned by the electrodes and then selected bythe filters 12 in unit 14. Whenever an electric oscillation passesthrough one of the filters it energizes the associated relay 83, whichin turn switches on the corresponding sound frequency oscillator 84,which then produces its specific sound oscillation as long asoscillations pass through the associated filter 12. Consequently eachalternating brain current gives rise to another current of acousticfrequency, which is made audible by means of the loudspeaker 87. Sincethe frequencies of brain currents are constantly varying the audibletones changes in the same proportion, thus producing a kind of music,which could be termed brain music. Thus unit 82 is basically an electric Or electronic organ, which is automatically played by the subjectsbrain currents.

This brain music can be expanded into a kind of integral organic musicby making the action currents of the sympathetic and vegetative nervoussystem (e.g. muscular action currents, electrocardiogram) audible aswell.

The appliance according to FIG. 12 opens up a wide range of newapproaches to psychoanalysis and psychotherapy; in particular, it willbe possible to literally confront a patient with his own ego, by lettinghim hear his own organic music. The wider the split in the patientspersonality the more dramatic results can be expected from this newtherapy. In psychotics this treatment may produce emotional chainreactions which could have a similar effect on the patient as thecurrently used shock therapy. In neurotics the effect will probably beless striking and mainly of a cathartic nature and if the treatment isrepeated in several sessions it should be equivalent to a condensedmeditation training which progressively leads to self-recognition,self-awareness and self-integration.

The appliance shown in FIG. 12 can also be adapted to produce vibrationsother than sound waves or to generate electric or magnetic fields, towhich the subject whose brain-currents produce these vibrations can beexposed.

Finally it should be noted that the recordings illustrated in FIGS. 2,3, 4, 6 and 8 are ideally suited to be read .by machine scanning withphoto-electric transducers. A device designed for this purpose could forinstance comprise unit 82, amplifier 86 and loudspeaker 87 in FIG. 12.In that case the exciting circuits of the relays 83 are not connected tounit 14, but each is joined through its own amplifier to an associatedphoto-electric transducer, which scans the recording strip along itsappropriate auxiliary line and responds whenever it detects a recordingwithin its range. By moving the recording strip at right angles toitsfeed direction in relation 'to the scanning transducers, the recordedmusic can be played in any desired key. .A slightly modified embodimentof the applicance shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 can also be used to make brainmusic directly audible. To this end the output of the frequency changer101 is connected, either directly or by way of an additional poweramplifier to a pair of earphones or to a loudspeaker, which makes thesound frequencies corresponding to the electric oscillations of thebrain currents audible to the human ear. At the same time the braincurrents can be transcribed by the recording unit 18.

What I claim is:

1. A system for transcribing music, comprising an electro-responsiverecording strip, means for moving said recording strip lengthwise at agiven rate including means for adjusting the recording strip at rightangles to the said lengthwise movement, a plurality of electricalrecorder heads arranged adjacent said recording strip for co-operationtherewithin, said recorder heads being arranged in a line extendingperpendicular to the lengthwise direction of said recording strip, aplurality of electric-wave filters tuned to a series of passingfrequencies which follow each other in the ratio of 1: /2 whereby eachfilter passes a musical tone one semitone apart from its adjacentfilters, the outputs of said filters each being connected with one ofsaid recorder heads, the input ofsaid filters being connected to theoutput of a common amplifier, and means for feeding the input of saidamplifier with electrical signals corresponding to the music tones to bemusically transcribed, said recording strip having thereon a pluralityof reference lines running parallel to the longitudinal direction of thestrip, said reference lines representing a scale of semitones and eachof the reference lines corresponding to one of the recorder heads andbeing alined therewith.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the recorders are combined intoa laminated structural unit, with .as many electrically conductivelaminae as there are filters, the laminae being arranged in parallel andinsulated from each other, each lamina having a portion which acts as arecorder head, said recording strip being sensitive to the passage ofelectric current and passing between the recorder head portions of thelaminae and a counter-electrode extending over the entire width of theunit.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the recorders are combinedinto a laminated structural unit, with as many electrically conductivelaminae as there is filters, the laminae being arranged in parallel andinsulated from each other, each lamina having a portion which acts as arecorder head, said recording strip being sensitive to the passage ofelectric current and passing between the recorder head portions of thelaminae and a counter-electrode extending over the entire width of theunit, the counter-electrode being a rotating movable roller whichpresses the recording strip against the recorder head portions of thelaminae.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the recorders are combinedinto a laminated structural unit, with as many electrically conductivelaminae as there are filters, the laminae being arranged in parallel andinsulated from each other, each lamina having a portion which acts as arecorder head, said recording strip being sensitive to the passage ofelectric current and passing between the recorder head portions of thelaminae and a counter-electrode extending over the entire width of theunit, the laminated structural unit being adjustable, so that it can bemoved up and down at right angles to the recording strip.

5. A system according to claim 1, in which an additional recorder headis provided for recording time markings on the recording strip, saidadditional recorder head being in line with the other recorder heads.

6. A system according to claim 1, in which an additional recorder headis provided for recording beat markings on the recording strip, saidadditional recorder head being in line with the other recorder heads.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the input amplifier isconnected to a microphone.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,951,454 3/1934Tiefenbacher 24674 2,379,744 7/ 1945 Pfleger 33329 X 2,492,160 12/ 1949Lekas 34633 X 2,779,654 1/ 1957 Williamson 346--33 BERNARD KONICK,Primary Examiner.

IRVING SRAGOW, Examiner.

M. S. GITIES, G, LIEBERSTEIN, Assistant Examiners.

1. A SYSTEM FOR TRANSCRIBING MUSIC, COMPRISING AN ELECTRO-RESPONSIVERECORDING STRIP, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID RECORDING STRIP LENGTHWISE AT AGIVEN RATE INCLUDING MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE RECORDING STRIP AT RIGHTANGLES TO THE SAID LENGTHWISE MOVEMENT, A PLURALITY OF ELECTRICALRECORDER HEADS ARRANGED ADJACENT SAID RECRODING STRIP FOR CO-OPERATIONTHEREWITHIN, SAID RECORDER HEADS BEING ARRANGED IN A LINE EXTENDINGPERPENDICULAR TO THE LENGTH WISE DIRECTION OF SAID RECORDING STRIP, APLURALITY OF ELECTRIC-WAVE FILTERS TUNED TO A SERIES OF PASSINGFREQUENCIES WHICH FOLLOW EACH OTHER IN THE RATIO OF 1:12$2 WHEREBY EACHFILTER PASSES A MUSICAL TONE ONE SEMITONE APART FROM ITS ADJACENTFILTERS, THE OUTPUTS OF SAID FILTERS EACH BEING CONNECTED WITH ONE OFSAID RECORDER HEADS, THE INPUT OF SAID FILTERS BEING CONNECTED TO THEOUTPUT OF A COMMON AMPLIFIER, AND MEANS FOR FEEDING THE INPUT OF SAIDAMPLIFIER WITH ELECTRICAL SIGNALS CORRESPONDING TO THE MUSIC TONES TO BEMUSICALLY TRANSCRIBED, SAID RECORDING STRIP HAVING THEREON A PLURALITYOF REFERENCE LINES RUNNING PARALLEL TO THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION OF THESTRIP, SAID REFERENCE LINES REPRESENTING A SCALE OF SEMITONES AND EACHOF THE REFERENCE LINES CORRESPONDING TO ONE OF THE RECORDER HEADS ANDBEING ALINED THEREWITH.